Rotary cutter device for mining machines



June 23, 1953 s. c. MOGQWAN ROTARY CUTTER DEVICE FOR MINING MACHINES Filed April 5, 1949 V mmvrox 6 ea kfio van.

Patented June 23, 1953 OFFICE ROTARY CUTTER DEVICE FOR MINING MACHINES George C. McGowan, New Brighton, Pa.

Application April 5, 1949, Serial No'. 85,606

2' Claims.

This invention relates to a mining machine, and while primarily designed, and intended for use in coal mining operations, it will be obvious that the apparatus may be employed for mining any other class of mineral mattenor for excavating work, or for any other purposes wherein it is found to be applicable.

Important objects and advantages of the invention are to provide a mining. machine of the character described, which will function to facilitate and expedite coal mining operations, which may be constructed and operated to excavate coal to the full thickness or height of the coal vein or seam with a minimum of waste and in comparatively large chunk sizes, which is adjustable to adapt same to the varying thicknesses of coal seams, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, durable and highly efficient in its use, compact, positive in its action, and comparatively economical in its manufacture, operation, and maintenance.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts herein specifically described and, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that the latter is merely illustrative of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that the actual needs of practice and manufacture may require certain mechanical variations from the embodiment herein shown. It is, therefore, not intended to limit the construction of the invention of the apparatus to the disclosure thereof herein illustrated, but rather to define such limitations to the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a mining apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of .oneof the cutting disks and of associated parts.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3, Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the improved mining apparatus comprises a beam frame, which is designed and adapted to be supported by and projected from any suitable type of self-propelled power carriage, and operated in a manner to cause the beam frame to shift alternately in the lateral directions in an arcu ate sweep.

The beam frame generally extends horizontally, and the forward end portion thereof is formed to provide a plurality of bearing arms 2. Each of the bearing arms carries a bearing 3 at its forward end, which bearings 3 are disposed in spaced vertical alignment. A vertically disposed shaft 4 is suitably journalled for rotation in said bearings 3.

Rotation is imparted to the vertical shaft 4 by a bevelled gear 5 and by a driving pinion 6 mechanism employed for operating the mining apparatus.

A plurality of cutting disks, indicated at It and II, are secured on the vertical shaft 4 to rotate with the latter. The cutting disks I I are disposed at respective ends of the vertical shaft, and the cutting disks II] are disposed intermediate of the cutting disks I I.

The cutting disks II have a screw thread en gagement with respective ends of the vertical shaft 4 to allow the adjustment of said cutting disks II on the latter to meet variations in coal seam thickness. The cutting disks I I are secured in the adjusted position on the vertical shaft by means of set screws I2, or in any other suitable manner. 7

Each of the cutting disks III, II, carries a plurality of fixed, replaceable cutter bits It. The cutter bits are radially disposed and equally spaced and project beyond the periphery of the cutting disk in alternately staggered up and down relation to each other. Such relation of the cutter bits determines the height of the kerf cut into the coal by the operation of the cut: ting disks andprovides'clearance for the efiicient operation-of the latter.

The cutting disks I 0, I I are of considerable and uniform diameters, and are preferably equally spaced from each other. The number of cutting disks embodied in the apparatu is determined'by the thickness of the coal seam to be mined if the entire seam is to be worked on at once, but it will be apparent that the number of cutting disks maybe varied and spaced as required to best meet conditions found. in practice. A ripping member I4, including an eccentrically offset rip hook l5 having a replaceable working tip I6, is revolubly mounted on the vertical shaft 4, and is preferably disposed centrally intermediate of each pair of adjacent cutting disks. The circumferential path of travel of the rip hooks l5, when the ripping members are r0- tated on the vertical shaft, is considerably less than the peripheral path of travel of the associated cutting disks, and the rotating speed of the ripping members is approximately one-half of the rotating speed of the cutting disks.

Each of the ripping members M is rotated on the vertical shaft 4 by a system of intermeshed gearing, which latter comprises astud 'gear'fl,

a ring gear l8, and a plurality of planetary" The stud gear I! isssecured'; on. the.

gears l9. vertical shaft to rotate with the. latter. ..Th e ring.

bearing If, and the planetary gears ii are 'revolu-.

bly mounted on a face of the ripping member and are all disposed betweenffand in.-mes h -with the associated stud gearil'and ring'Tgea'r l5.

It will be evident that, by thissyste'm of gear,- ing, when the vertical shaft. is rotating; rotation in the same direction will be imparted to the ripping members,.and that the gear ratio of the stud gears H with respect to thering gears IE, will determine the relative rotating speed of the ripping members with respect to the rotating speed of the vertical shaft 4 and of the cutting disks in secured on the latter. While but one ripping member is shown between each adjacent pair of cutting disks, it will be obvious that several ripping'members may be so placed, in spaced relation to each other, without departing from the principle of the invention.

In practice, the operation of the improved mining apparatus is as follows: During mining operations the beam frame I, together with the cutting head carried thereby, is reciprocated laterally in an arcuate sweep. The apparatus will function effectively to effect coal mining operations during the travel of the device in either and both directions of its reciprocal sweep. V

In the operation of the device, the cutting disks IE5, H, rotating at a comparatively high speed, will cut spaced kerfs in the face of the coal being worked. As the peripheries of the cutting disks extend a considerable distance beyond the ripping members M, the cutting of the kerfs in the coal seamface will be well in advance of the operation of the ripping members.

The ripping members it, rotating at a speed preferably approximating one-half of the rotating speed of the cutting disks, will contact with the unloosed coal disposed between adjacent kerfs, and will function'to tear or rip out and dislodge all of the coal between said kerfs in a continuous operation while the device is shifting in either direction of its reciprocal swing. Due to the advance kerf cutting, the coal therebetween will be readily dislodged in large chunk sizes with a minimum of slack production. After each operative sweep of the apparatus, the coal dislodged thereby is removed in any suitable manner and method to clear the way for the next mining operative sweep of the device. At the end of each operative sweep of the device, the latter is advanced. the proper distance to position the device in the proper location for effecting the next operative travel sweep in the most efficient manner.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction and method of operation of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and it will be understood that variations in the number, location, form, proportions, and driving means of the embodied cutting disks and ripping members, may be resorted to that come within the scope of the claims.

The present invention provides a most efficient device of its kind, which may be economically constructed, which will eliminate the need of under-cutting and blasting in coal mining operations, and which may be conveniently and successfully employed for the purposes and in the manner herein set forth.

What I claim is:

l. In-an apparatus for mining mineral, a shiftable frame structure, a shaft revolubly supgear is is fixed and is secured to'the adjacent ported at the'forward end of said frame structure, apa'ir of kerf cutting disks secured on said shaft in spaced relation to each other, ripping means revolu ly mount d on sa d shaft between said disks, a drive mechanism operable for rotating said shaft to operate said disks, and a gear mechanism mounted within said ripping means and actuated by the rotation of said shaft for imparting rotation to said ripping means, said gear mechanism including a stationary ring gear fixed to said frame structure and a stud gear fixed to said shaft to rotate with the latter and a plurality of planetary gears revolubly connected with said ripping means and meshing with said ring gear and with said stud gear.

- 2. In an apparatus for mining mineral, a shiftframe structure, a shaftrevolubly supported the forward end of said frame structure, a pair of spaced kerf cutting disks secured in spaced relation on said shaft to rotate with the latter, ripping means revolubly mounted on said shaft centrally intermediate of said. disks, a drive mechanism operable for rotating said shaft to operate said disks and a gear mechanism mounted within said ripping means and actuated by the rotation of said shaft for rotating said ripping means at a rotating speed less than the rotating speed of said disks, said gear mechanism including a stationary ring gear fixed to said frame structure and a stud gear fixed to said shaft to rotate with the latter and a plurality of planetary gears revolubly connected with said ripping means and meshing with said ring gear and with said stud gear.

In an apparatus for mining mineral, a shiftable frame structure, ashaft revolubly supported at the forward end of said structure, a pair of spaced kerf cutting disks secured in spaced relation on said shaft, a ripping member revolubly supported on said shaft between said disks, the peripheries of said disks projecting beyond the periphery of said member, a drive mechanism operable for rotating said shaft to operate said disks and a gear mechanism mounted within said member and actuated by the rotation of said shaft for rotating said member at a rotating speed'less than the rotating speed of said disks, said disks being adjustable on said shaft, said gear mechanism'including a stationaly ring gear fixed to said frame structure and a stud gear fixed to said shaft to rotate with the latter and a plurality of. planetary gears revolubly connected with said member and meshing with said ring gear and with said stud gear.

4. In an apparatus for mining mineral, a shiftable frame structure, a shaft revolubly supported at the forward end of said structure, a plurality of kerf cutting disks secured to said shaft to 6 rotate with the latter, a ripping member including an eccentrically offset rip hook revolubly mounted on said shaft centrally intermediate of each adjacent pair of disks, the peripheries of said disks extending beyond said rip hooks, a drive mechanism carried by said structure operable for rotating said shaft to operate said disks, and driving means mounted within each of said members for rotating said members at a lesser speed than the rotating speed of said disks, said driving means including a stationary ring gear fixed to said frame structure and a stud gear fixed to said shaft to rotate with the latter and a plurality of planetary gears revolubly connected with said member and meshing with said ring gear and with said stud gear.

5. In an apparatus for mining mineral, a shiftable frame structure, a shaft revolubly supported at the forward end of said structure, a plurality of kerf cuttin disks secured to said shaft to rotate with the latter, a pair of said disks being adjustable on said shaft, a ripping member including an eccentrically offset rip hook revolubly mounted centrally intermediate of each adjacent pair of disks on said shaft, a drive mechanism carried by said structure operable for rotating said shaft to operate said disks, and driving means mounted within each of said members actuated by the rotation of said shaft operable for rotating said members at a speed less than the speed of said disks, said driving means including a stationary ring gear fixed to said frame structure and a stud gear fixed to said shaft to rotate with the latter and a plurality of planetary gears revolubly connected with said member and meshing with said ring gear and with said stud gear.

6. A mining apparatus of the class described, comprising the combination of a shiftable frame structure, a vertically disposed shaft revolubly supported at the forward end of said structure, a plurality of uniformly spaced kerf cutting disks secured to said shaft to rotate with the latter, the disks disposed at respective ends of said shaft 6 being adjustable, a ripping member including an eccentrically offset rip hook revolubly mounted on said shaft centrally intermediate of each adjacent pair of disks, the peripheries of said disks extending beyond thefree ends of said rip hooks, a drive mechanism carried by said structure operable for rotating said shaft to operate said disks, and driving means mounted within each of said members actuated by the rotation of said shaft operable for rotating said members at a lesser speed than the rotating speed of said disks, said driving means including a stationary ring gear fixed to said frame structure and a stud gear fixed to said shaft to rotate with the latter and a plurality of planetary gears revolubly connected with said member and meshing With said ring gear and with said stud gear.

7. In an apparatus for mining mineral, a shiftable frame structure, a pair of spaced axially aligned kerf cutting members rotatably supported by said frame structure, a ripping member rotatably supported between said pair of kerf cutting members, gear mechanism interconnecting said members for concurrent rotation including a stationary ring gear fixed to said frame structure and a stud gear connected with said kerf cutting members to rotate with the latter and planetary gear means revolubly carried by said ripping member and meshing with said ring gear and with said stud gear, said stud gear and said planetary gear means being disposed within said ripping member, and means for rotatably driving one of said members.

GEORGE c. MCGIOWAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,190,300 Kuhn July 11, 1916 1,572,066 Booker Feb. 9, 1926 2,096,917 Pray Oct. 26, 1937 2,118,490 Challacombe May 24, 1938 

